Type-writer desk.



J. G. CLARK.

I TYPE WRITER DESK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. CLARK, 0F LYONS, NEBRASKA.

TYPE-WRITER DESK.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,026.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lyons, in the countyof Burt, Stateof Nebraska, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Type-l Vriter Desks, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and eX- act specification. I

This invention relates to typewriter desks, and has for one of itsobjects to provide improved means for protecting a typewriter and itsappurtenances, including stationery, etc., from dust and interference.

Another object is to provide means for holding letters, books,manuscripts, pamphlets, etc.', in position where they can be seenwithout even turning the head and which does not interfere with thecontinuous use of the typewriter or'obstruct any part of the interiorofthe desk where supplies of stationery, tools, and the like are kept.

It is also the aiirrof this invention to provide an automatic lockingdevice which will not necessarily lock the cover down when said cover isclosed, thus permitting the cover to-be put down so as to protect thecontents of the desk without requiring it to be unlocked, andyetallowing the desk or cover to be locked automatically when desired.

A further object-is to construct the desk in compact form, means beingprovided for storing the typewriter in a small space when not in use,and for readily moving the machine to a position for convenientoperation when desired.

Still another object is to provide adjustable means for positioning thetypewriter on a slide for moving it back and forth from stored tooperating position, said means serving to maintain themachine in properplace while it is being moved from one position to the other and whileit is in use, and

yet not interfering with it being raised for cleaning or fortransportation to some other place for temporary use.

The invention also contemplates the use of adjustable backs in some orall of the pigeon-holes for holding different sizes of letter-heads,envelops and cards flush with the frdnt of the pigeon-holes where theymay be easily reached when needed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Other objects will appear as the descriptron proceeds. i

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification,and then more specifically dc fined in the claims at the end of thede'scrip tion. In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar referencecharacters are used todesignate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk constructedsubstantially in accordance with the present invention, the same beingshown in closed and locked posi. tion. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe desk, 1 showing the cover raised and in position to form the bookand paper rack or holder, the lower end portions of the legs 01'supports of the desk being broken away. Fig. 3'.is a vertical. sectiontaken from front to back:- through the left hand group of pigeon-holes,the cover being shown in raised position forming the book rack, anotherposition of said rack being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. l is anenlarged detailed sectional view through two of the pigeon-holes fittedwith adjustable backs, showing one way in which said backs may besecured in their-different adjustments. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan viewof one of the-rings for positioning the typewriter on the slide. Fig. 6is a vertical section taken from front to back through the typewriterstoring compartment of the desk and showing the adjusting slots andscrews for the backing blocks in the pigeon-holes, and also illustratingthe unlocked position of the cover when the same is closed upon' theentirely pushed in slide, and Fig. 7 ise detailed broken end elevationof a modified form of desk having the two sections of its cover of thesame width. v, f

The desk has a work-slab l supported i r any suitable manner, as by thelegs 2, and the space above said slab is inclosed by a back piece 3, endpieces 4, a top piece 5 .and g a hinged cover 6 at the front, saidcovetbeing preferably arranged on an incline as, shown. The cover ismade in two sections 7 and 8, each extending the full length of. thesame but only part of its width. The -s upper section 7 is connected tothe front edge.

of the mp5 by hinges 9, and the lower section; 8 is attached to thelower free edge of the upper section by hinges 10 in rule-joint fashion,the lower free edge of said lower section being beveled, as at 11, toconform to the top surface of the work-slab when the cover is closed, asillustrated in Fig. 1.

In order to provide a book rack high enoughto support full lengthletters and papers, the upper section 7 of the cover,

which constitutes the book rack when said cover is raised and adjustedto the position shown in Figs. 2 and is made wider than the lowersection 8. The narrower lower section constitutes the brace or supportfor the rack and is adapted to have its beveled edge 11 engaged in anyone of a series of longitudinal grooves 12 in a horizontal strip 13supported above the top 5 upon a vertical strip 14, said raisedstructure having the grooves being provided to compensate for thedifference in the width of the two sections of the cover, as will bereadilyunderstood. A plurality of the'g'rooves 12 are provided to permittherack to be arranged at different angles to suit the eyes of per sonsof different heights. Two adjustments of the rack are illustrated inFig. 3, one in solid lines and the other in dotted lines. It will benoted that the hinges 9 and 10 are on the outside so that the sectionsof the cover swing upward and outward. The upper section 7 has a ledge15 on its inner face near its upper edge when in closed position, forthe hooks, papers and other articles to rest upon when the cover israised and adjusted to form the book'rack.

The inclosed-portion of the desk is divided into a compartment 16 forstoring a typewriter, and one or more stacks of pigeonholes. Asillustrated, the compartment 1.6 is arranged in the center with a stackof pigeon-holes at either side thereof. Said central compartment 16 ispreferably made just wide enough to accommodate the typewriter when thelatter is not in use, in order to save space and make the desk ascompact as possible. At the bottom of this compartment 16, there is aslide 17 constituting a section of the work-slab 1 with which it isflush and has tongue and groove connection. To position a typewriter onthe slide four rings 18 are used, one ring to fit around each foot of atypewriter. These rings are adjustably secured to the slide 17 by screws19 and may be fastened at the proper places to receive the feetof anymake of typewriter. While the rings effectively retain the machine inproper'position, theydo not prevent said machine from being raised foroiling, cleaning or moving to another place for temporary use, and aretherefore a distinct improvement over the old method of bolting orclamping the machine to the table.

When the typewriter is not in use, the slide may be pushed back as shownin solid lines in Fig. 6 so that the machine will be substantiallyhoused in the compartment 16 and permit the cover to be closed. \Vhenthe typewriter is to be used, the slide is drawn out to the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, where the carriage ofthe machinemay move back and forth in front of the pigeon-holes.

For locking the cover of the desk in closed position, an ordinary rolltop lock desk is used, the same consisting of a socket member 20indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, and

the usual hook-bolt 21 also shown diagrammatically in the same figure.It will be observed that inasmuch as the lower edge of the lower section8 of the cover. which carries the bolt 21, describes an arc in closinginstead of descending vertically upon the socket member or keeper 20, asin the ordinary roll top desk, said bolt w ll not strike squarelyintothe keeper when the slide 17 is pushed all of the way in, see Fig.6. On the contrary, said bolt strikes about half an inch in front of thekeeper or socket, thus permitting the cover tobe closed withoutnecessarily locking the same and making it unnecessary to unlock said Icover every time it is closed before it can be again raised. There areoften times when the owner of a desk Wishes to cover and protect thecontents of the desk without looking the cover, and in the ordinary rolltop dest this cannot be done unless some obstruction is placed betweenthe lower edge of the cover. and the front edge portion of thework-slab. In the present invention no such make-shift emergency devicesare required, it being only necessary to push in the slide 17 as far asit will go. When it is desired to lock the cover, the'slide is pulledforward about half an inch, whereupon the bolt or striking hookswilldrop into the socket in the keeper plate and as said slide is pushedback again into its extreme rear position said bolt or hooks willautomatically interlock with said keeper.

In order to provide for holding letterheads, cards and envelops ofdifferent sizes in regular order and within easy reach at the front ofthe pigeon-holes, adjustable the ends of the backing blocks andextending through slots 24 the edges of which they are adapted to clampwhen tightened for retaining said blocks at the desired points. Theslots 24 are formed in the vertical partition 25 separating thecompartment 16 from the left hand tier of pigeondioles.

If desired, both sections of the cover may be made substantially thesame width, as at 70 and 80 in Fig. 7, and grooves 26 formed in theupper surface of the top piece 50, thus dispensing with the vertical andhorizontal strips 14 and 13, respectively, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a desk, thecombination with a slide, of a hinged cover, an automatic bolt carriedby the lower free edge of the cover, a keeper mounted on the slide andarranged out of register with the bolt when the slide is fully pushed inand the cover folded down, said keeper adapted to be brought intoregister with the bolt when the slide is pulled partially out, for thepurpose specified.

2. In a desk, the combination with a top piece, of a sectional coverhinged to the same and comprising two sections, one wider than theother, said sections being hinged together and adapted to be foldedabove the top piece so that the wider sec tion will form a book rack andthe narrower section will constitute a brace for the same, and a groovedstrip supported above the top piece for engagement by the edge of thenarrower section of the cover for the purpose specified.

3Q In a desk, the combination with inclosing walls and a top piececovering the rear portion of the space inclosed by said walls, said toppiece carrying grooves, of a cover for the :iront portion oi saidinclosed space, said cover being made in folding sections adapted to befolded upon the top piece so that one section will constitute a bookrack and another section will serve as a brace by engaging one of thegrooves in the top piece, the angle of said rackforming section beingvariable by placing the edge of the bracing section in different ones ofthe said grooves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES G. CLARK.

